Casing cutter



Sept. 2, 1930'. .1. w. PLUMMER GAS ING CUTTER Filed Aug. 26, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Sept. 2, 1936 UNITED. STA

res PATENT 'oFFlce JESSE W. PLUMMER, OF TELLY, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIREGT AND MESNE ASSIGN- 'MENTS, TO JAMES S. ABERGROMBIE, F HOUSTON, TEXAS CASING cu'r'rnn Application filed August 26, 1927. Serial No. 215,693.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a casing cutter..

One object of the invention is to provide a casing cutter which includes releasable anchoring means whereby the implement may be anchored at any desired point in the casing or pipe, to be cut, and which also includes radially movable bits orcutters and means, rotatable relative to the anchoring means, adapted to revolve the bits and at the same time force them outwardly into cutting relation with the casing to be cut.

Another object of. the invention is to 'provide a cutter of the character described ineluding means for withdrawing the bits from contact with the casing when the out has been completed to permit the withdrawal of the complete tool. v With the above and other objects in View this invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, opera tion and arrangement of parts an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the upper part of the casing cutter with the surround ing casing, or pipe, to be cut, shown in section.

" Figure 2 shows a fragmentary side view of the lower end'thereofi. v I r Figure 3 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.- w

Figure 4 shows a vertical sectional view of the upper end of the cutter.

. Figure 5 shows a'vertical sectional view 6 of the lower end thereof, and Figure .6, shows a fragmentary sectional view of the lower end of a conventional tubing catcher. y

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral, 1 designates the casin'g or pipe '45 to be cut. Thenumeral 2 designates atu'bular operating stem through which the tool is lowered into andwithdrawn from the cas ing'as well as through which itis operated.

Attached to the lower end of the operating-st'em 2 there is the tubular cutter body 3 whose lower end is tapered downwardly forming a mandrel 4 which has the oppositely disposeddovetailed grooves 5, 5, forming tracks in which the inner ends of the bits 7 6, 6, are fitted, said ends being dovetailed in said tracks. I

The cutter body has the oppositely disposed-vertical slots 7, 7, whose lower ends are similarly offset, forming corresponding downwardly facing shoulders, as 8.

Within the body 3 there is anchored an annular support 9 having a central stuffing box 10 through which a wash pipe 11 is fitted. i

The upper end of this wash pipe has an enlarged head 12 thereon, and beneath the support 9 said wash pipe has the oppositely disposed wings 13, 13, which work in the corresponding slots 7 1 The lower end of the wash pipe is fitted through a conventional tubing catcher 14,

of any conventional construction, and in which said pipe is rotatable. Splined on the wash" pipe 11, above the tubing catcher 14 there is a friction disc 15 and betweenit andthe upper end of said tubing catcher there are the intermediate friction discs, 16, 16, which sustain the .wash pipe while permitting it to freely rotate relative to the tubing catcher. Flexible bit supporting arms 17 17 whose lower ends are attached to the disc' 15 and whose upper ends are attached to the respective bits 6, 6,-support said bits.

The tubing catcher comprises, a body 18 having the upwardly flared grooves 19 in "which the externally toothed jaws 20 are mopnted to'slide. Loosely mounted on the wash pipe 11 beneath the body 18 there a ring 21 and links 22 are pivoted at their upper ends to the jaws 20, and at their lower ends to the respective radiating ears 23 carried by the ring 21. Slidably mounted on the wash pipell, beneath the ring 21 there is a weight 24 which is sustained by 'a coil "spring 25 which surrounds thelower end of the pipe 11 and in turn is [supported on the shoulder 26 at the lowerend thereof.

When the cutter is let down into the casing to be cut'the wings 13 are located in the lower ends of the slots 7 beneath the shoulders 8 J with the head 12 resting on the stuifing box 10. When the tool has been lowered to the desired place it is then suddenly dropped a short distance, causing the tubing catcher l l to engage, and anchor itself to the casing 1.

When the tool is suddenly dropped, the wash pipe 11 will suddenly move downwardly but the expansion of the spring 25 will arrest the downward movement of the weight 24 and the downward movement of the ring 21 will also be arrested b the weight striking against it with the resfllt that the jaws 20 will be relatively moved upwardly with reference to the body 18 and will spread the jaws 20, through the influence of the links 22 into engagement with the casing l as above described. When the tool is dropped the shoulders 8 engage the Wings 13 to prevent the mandrel 4 from suddenly moving downwardly and forcing the bits 6 suddenly into the casing. When the tool is anchored in the casing the stem 2 is then turned to the right to release the wings 13 from the shoulders 8 and the cutter body is then gradually lowered, to force the bits out radially against the inside of the casing, and turned, through the stem 2, to cause said bits to cut around said casing, and this is continued until the casing is severed. The cutter body may then be elevated and the bits will travel relatively, downwardly, in the tracks 5 and also inwardly, until they clear the casing.

The tubing catcher 14 may then be released, in the usual manner, and the cutter withdrawn from the casing, or relocated therein for another cut.

The casing to be cut is often filled with sand or earth and the wash pipe 11 is provided so that water may be forced down through the operating stem and on down beneath the cutter 2, through said wash pipe, to remove all obstructing material in the casing that might interfere with lowering the cutter into the casing.

It is obvious that mechanical changes and modifications may be made in the casing cut ter described and it is contemplated that changes and adaptations may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. A casing cutter including a releasable anchor adapted to releasably engage the casing to be cut, a tubular cutter body, a tapering mandrel carried by said body, bits operatively connected with said mandrel and adapted to be actuated radially thereby as the mandrel is moved longitudinally relative to the casing, a wash pipe in said body and extending through, and rotatable relative to, the anchor, and operative connections between the body and wash pipe through which the latter is caused to rotate with the former, said body being longitudinally movable relative to said wash pipe.

2. A casing cutter including an anchor adapted to releasably engage the casing to be cut, a tubular cutter body, said body having vertical bearings, a tapering mandrel carried by said body, bits operatively connected with the mandrel and movable radially thereby as the mandrel is moved longitudinally relative to the casing, a fluid conducting pipe in said body which extends down through said anchor, projections carried by said fluid conducting pipe which Work in said bearings, means closing the space between said pipe and cutter body, flex ible arms Whose upper ends are anchored to the respective bits and whose lower ends are fixed relative to said pipe.

3. A casing cutter including an anchor adapted to releasably engage the casing to be cut, a tubular cutter body, a tapering mandrel carried by said body, bits operatively connected with the mandrel and movable radially thereby as the mandrel is moved longitudinally relative to the casing, a wash pipe in said body and extending through, and ro tatable relative to, the anchor, and operative connections between the body and wash pipe through which the latter is caused to rotate with, and moved longitudinally relative to, the former, and an operating stem to which said cutter body is connected.

4. A casing cutter including an anchor adapted to releasably engage the casing to be cut, a tubular cutter body, a tapering mandrel carried by said body, bits operatively connected with the mandrel and movable outwa dly thereby as the mandrel is moved longitudinally relative to the casing, a fluid conducting pipe in said body which extends down through said anchor, means closing the space between said pipe and cutter body, flexible arms anchored to the respective bits at one end and whose other ends are fixed rela tive to said pipe, operative connections between said body and pipe whereby the latter is caused to rotate with, and permitted to move longitudinally relative to, the former.

5. A casing cutter including an anchor adapted to releasably engage the casing to be cut, a tubular cutter body, a tapering mandrel carried by said body, bits operatively connected with the mandrel and movable radially thereby as the mandrel is moved lohgitudinally relative to the casing, a fluid conducting pipe in said body which extends down through said anchor, means closing the space between the said pipe and cutter body, flexible arms whose upper ends are anchored to the respective bits and whose lower ends are fixed relative to said pipe, and operative connections between said body and pipe whereby the latter is caused to rotate with the former, and an operating stem connected to said body through which said body may be rotated.

6. A casing cutter including a tubular cutter body, an annular support therein, a wash pipe fitted through said support and extending downwardly, means holding the wash pipe against rotation relative to the body but permitting said pipe to move longitudinally relative to said body, an anchor adapted to engage the casing and through which said wash pipe extends and with which it has a swiveling connection, a downwardly tapering mandrel carried by said body, bits operatively connected with said mandrel and movable radially thereby as the mandrel is moved longitudinally in the casing.

7. A casing cutter including a tubular cutter body, an annular support therein, a wash pipe fitted through said support and extending, downwardly, an anchor adapted to engage the casing and through which said wash pipe extends and with which it has a swiveling connection, a downwardly tapering mandrel carried by said body and bits operatively connected with said mandrel, and movable radially thereby as the mandrel is moved longitudinally in the casing, flexible arms connected at their upper ends to the respective bits and whose lower ends are fixed relative to said wash pipe.

8. A casing cutter including a tubular cutter body, an annular support therein, a wash pipe fitted through said support and extending downwardly, an anchor adapted to engage the casing and through which said wash pipe extends and with which it-has a swivelling connection, a downwardly tapering mandrel carried by said body, bits operatively connected with said mandrel and movable radially thereby as the mandrel is moved chor and having a swivelling connection,

longitudinally in the casing, said body having oppositely disp sed vertical slots Whose lower ends are correspondingly offset, forming downwardly facing shoulders, wings carried by the wash pipe and working in said slots.

9. A casing cutter including atubular cutter body, a wash pipe in the body, said body 1y connected with and adapted to be actuated as the mandrel is moved longitudinally in the casin and an operating stem connected to said %0dy through which the cutter may be operated.

11. A casing cutter including a tubular cutter body, a wash pipein said body, said wash pipe and body having interengaging means, a tubing catcher through which the wash pipe extends and with which the-wash pipe has a swiveling connection, pipe severing means and means with reference to which the body is relatively longitudinally movable to actuate said severing means radially.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JESSE W. PLUMMER.

releasably engage the casing to be out, said wash pipe extending through said anchor and having a swivelling connection therewith, a tapering mandrel carried by said body, radially'movable bits operatively connected with and'adapted to be actuated by said mandrel as the mandrel is moved longitudinally in the casing. I i

10. A casing cutter including a tubular body and wash pipe being provided, one with vertical bearings and the other with wings WhlCll'WOIk 1n sald bearings, an anchor adapted to releasably engage the casing to be-cut, said wash pipe extending through said antherewith. a tapering mandrel carried'by said body, radially movable bitsoperativ'e- H cutter body, a wash pipe in the body, said 

